


Chilled Tomorrow

by perniciousLizard



Series: Rinse and Reset [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Depression, Grillby POV, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Post-Reset
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 22:17:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11171214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perniciousLizard/pseuds/perniciousLizard
Summary: A continuation ofRise and Shine.  Grillby doesn't know what Sans is to him, or what he is to Sans.





	Chilled Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> I was prompted to write angst by [wellmaybesomenerds](https://wellmaybesomenerds.tumblr.com/). My first thought was to continue the story where Sans and Grillby are married and then there's a reset.

It wasn’t anything, what they had.  It was both of them trying to get _rid_ of something.  

There was just an ache that was always there.  It lessened when Sans knocked on the door to Grillby’s apartment.  When Sans slept in his bed, it was almost gone.

There wasn’t a day that went by when he didn’t see Sans’ face smiling at him from the other side of the bar.  Grillby missed him anyway.  

–

They hadn’t made it to the bedroom before Sans was too tired to want to move.  They arranged themselves on the couch.  Sans crawled on top of him and rested his head on Grillby’s chest.  

One of Mettaton’s specials played, volume turned down low, on the television.  The robot’s voice was a mechanical buzz.  Background noise.  Grillby could only understand the occasional “darlings” from the familiar rhythm of the words.  

Grillby rubbed a black char smudge off the back of Sans’ skull with his sleeve. “…you can visit more often, if you want.”  

“always looking for another bona-fide, action packed night with sans, am i right?”  Sans didn’t move.

“…I think ‘action,’ I think 'Sans.’”  Grillby assumed the sarcasm meant “no thanks.”

“they should make a figure of me, like all those sexy robot action figures papyrus has,” Sans said.  "heh.  nah, we have fun, right?"

"Yes.”  

Sans was quiet. Grillby was starting to assume he had nodded off when he spoke again. “sure, ok.  i can stop by.  you want to catch a movie, or something?”  

“All right.”

A minute later, Sans was snoring.

–

When they went out a few days later, Sans met him outside the bar in his usual clothes.  He looked a little more rumpled than usual, actually.  

Sans rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a small box.  Grillby opened it up and found a small reddish fruit inside.  It took him a minute to identify it.

“…it’s a date,” Grillby said.

“yeah, i mean, we’ve been hanging out for a while, right?”  Sans said.

Grillby wanted to toss it at his head, but he also didn’t like to waste food like that.  He popped it in his mouth and Sans told him that meant he was paying for everything.

The movie theater was another thing that felt familiar.  Grillby had only seen a few movies on the surface, and he had never seen one with Sans, but it somehow felt like an old habit.  He could tell Sans noticed, but neither of them said anything.  Sometimes things were just familiar with him, for no clear reason.  He should be used to it, but maybe it was something you couldn’t get used to.

–

“yeah, you know i’m a real fashion _plate_ ,” Sans said.  He held his empty plate in front of his face.

Grillby laughed.  “…that was bad.”  

“look.  no one’s ever complimented me on my shoes before.  i panicked,” he said, completely calm.  

Grillby had just been surprised to see him in anything other than slippers.  He had been changing the t-shirt under his hoodie regularly, lately, and occasionally even wearing different pants, but the slippers had stayed.  

Changing his clothes regularly was such a small thing.  Grillby remembered that Sans used to pay his tab almost on time.  He’d come into the bar in ugly tshirts that looked like they had been dragged out of the dump, but different ones every day.  Things had gotten bad for Sans so slowly, Grillby didn’t think he’d realized _how_ bad they must have been.  

He felt sick.  

“sorry, buddy,” Sans said.  He must have noticed Grillby’s sudden mood change. “these won’t fit you.”

He shook his head. “…but…who wouldn’t want to dress like you?”

“i know i’m pretty cool.  but you’ve gotta find your own style.”  

“Sans…”  He felt like he should say _something_.  It would be out of nowhere, but…

“ok, ok.  if you’re going to give me that look, i’ll tell you where i got 'em. maybe they’ll have your size.”  

No, he was in too good a mood.  "Give me your shirt," he said, holding out his hand.

"what.”

“…I want…to be cool.”

Sans was clearly curious where he was going with the joke.  If he was disappointed when Grillby just tried to put on his hoodie, that feeling evaporated when he couldn’t get it to fit on him.  

“that’s a good look,” Sans said, laughing.

Grillby had the coat hanging from one arm.  If he struggled or took off his apron, he might be able to get it on.  He gave up and tied it around his waist.

“uh.  am i getting that back?”  

Grillby shrugged.

“ok.”

He couldn’t keep ignoring his regular paying customers, so Grillby left Sans alone for a little while.  He received a few compliments on his new style.

When he made it back, he noticed Sans leaning on the counter, head resting in his hand.  He winked.  "you’re sure in a good mood."

He nodded.  "…you too.  Lately."

"yeah.  hey, i’m always in a good mood.”  

Grillby didn’t say anything.

“good friends, good food,” he paused here, to wink again, “and some bad jokes.  i’m livin’ the life, here.”

If it hadn’t been true before, maybe it was now.  Sans was visiting more often, and they were going out on real dates.  Grillby tipped the glass he was cleaning in Sans’ direction, in silent agreement.  

“you get it.”

He hoped it was true, anyway.  He nodded.

Grillby kept the coat.

–

The vent directly over Grillby’s head kept blowing his flames around.  It hadn’t bothered him, at first, but it was starting to get on his nerves.  

He checked the time on his phone.  He should go.  

The waitress stopped by to check on him, and he ordered another drink.  He would give Sans until he emptied his wine glass.  

His glass was almost empty when Sans pulled a chair back and sat down across from him.  Sans’ smile was strained and there was a tiny bead of sweat trickling down his skull.  "hey.  maybe i’m a _human_ skeleton, since it looks like i’m _late_."

Grillby stared at him.

"heh.  uh. sorry.”  He scratched the back of his skull.  

This was far from the first time this had happened.  Grillby thought he had been very nice, the first few times he’d almost been stood up, but it was getting ridiculous.  Sans had probably been sleeping.  

He pushed aside his glass and considered leaving.  

“stuff’s been weird lately.”  Sans wasn’t looking at him.  "but, uh."  The table was quiet.  He didn’t seem to be able to finish his thought.

Grillby had no idea what that meant.  He had no idea what was "weird,” or why. They didn’t talk about anything, really, unless Sans was drunk, and then only a word in ten made any sense.

He decided to stay.  They both ordered.  Grillby pointed at what he wanted on the menu, since he knew the human wouldn’t understand him.

“so, you saying a word to me tonight, or what?”  Sans asked.  

Grillby considered him.  Sans had the same shirt on that he had worn yesterday.  Grillby just wished he had some idea what was going on.  

“…not a word,” Grillby joked.  

“oh.  i really messed up, huh.”

“Yes, but…” He shrugged.  There were other things he wanted to say.  

Sans filled the silence while they waited for their food, telling him about something that had happened to Papyrus at work.  Grillby got a little caught up in the story.  Sans’ brother was an interesting person.

“you’re…warming up to me,” Sans said, winking.  

“Sans.”  Grillby chuckled and rubbed under his glasses.  He was very tired, suddenly.

“yeah?”

“…we…need to talk.”

“uhoh.”  

They were both quiet while their food arrived.  Sans usually had a joke ready for their server, but he just nodded when she set down his plate.

“i know what that means,” Sans said, once they were alone again.

“………oh.” Sans thought he was being dumped.  "…not _that_."

"ok.”  

He picked up his fork and poked at his food.  "……it’s just…what _are_ we?"

Sans dug right into his dinner, probably to avoid immediately answering.  

"This didn’t start like normal.  I don’t…have any idea what I am to you.” Grillby spoke very slowly.

“you’re my friend.  that’s the big thing.  the rest, i don’t know.  not sure i’m cut out for boyfriends.”

“Sometimes you are.”  

“that’s it, though, right?  'sometimes isn’t crap at this’ isn’t really fair. you’re…you’re a really great, guy.  i’m lucky.”  He wasn’t looking up from his plate.

Sometimes, Grillby felt lucky, too.  "I love you.”

“yeah.”  Sans sighed.  "me too.“

”…but…“

"here it is.”

“…you’re a bonehead.  Next time you’re this late, I’m just leaving.”

Sans looked up at him, eyes bright.  "heh.  i am, right?  that was really good."

"I know.”

–

There was a knock on Grillby’s door in the middle of the night.  It was closer to morning than midnight.  

He dragged himself out of bed and opened the door for Sans.  He was too exhausted to be irritated.  

“hey.”  Sans was a mess.  The dark circles under his eye sockets were prominent.  He was in pajamas like he had rolled out of bed to come and meet with Grillby.  "uh, sorry."

Grillby stepped back and gestured for Sans to come in.  

Sans took a few steps inside and then stopped.  "i was just gonna sent a text, but, uh.  seemed like a, uh, _bonehead_ thing to do.”  Grillby waved at the couch, but Sans shook his head.  "not going to be long.  how’s it go?"

He was wide awake now.  This wasn’t a friendly late night visit, whatever it was.

"'we need to talk.’"

”……….I know what that means,“ Grillby said, very slow.

Sans looked away.  "yeah.  guess you do.”  

–

They weren’t anything, but Grillby missed him anyway.  


End file.
